Southern Illinois firearm season opens on a Friday and the next is a Thursday. But I would say that is a lot better than a Monday, that would suck.

Up until a few years ago NC always opened on Monday. They finally switched over to Saturdays which is alot better if you don't have some vacation days to burn.

Is hunting not thinning the herd because it opens on a Monday? Here in NH the Opening Day for Firearms is always on a Wednesday while Archery is always the 15th of Sept. and Muzzleloader is always a Saturday. Obviously not having Opening Day on a weekend, limits the number of hunters in the woods on that day. It appears that's exactly what PA is trying to accomplish. I never thought that PA had a problem with thinning the herd, based on the number of hunters in your state. I don't see a problem unless those numbers are not being met.

All the hunting seasons in Va. open on a Monday and have for years, during gun season the first and second saturdays are buck or doe and the last 12 hunting days are buck or doe.

The Tazman aka Martin Price
Founder and President of
Virginia Disabled Outdoorsmen Club

I wish our season started on a monday every year.Our season starts on november 1 every year.I have to travel over 5 hours to hunt and it is a real pain to travel that far for a saturday opening then not be able to hunt sunday.I hate to miss opening day because the best trophies are usually taken on the opener but it makes no sense to travel so far then have to sit a day not being able to hunt.

In our area the season for rifle always opens on a Monday and on the week of the 11th in November. I don't mind it because it give me a chance to scout for one last time on Sunday. We have no hunting on Sunday so the deer are left alone.